1st time Carnival Cruiser - Splendor Review - Aug. 24th to Halifax & Saint John

[Travel R]

[Sorry for the delay in posting. I am still busy at work, and did not have much time to spend on it over this long (and beautiful weekend) - spent it with good family, good food, and good friends. Below is the next installment of my Splendor Cruise Review:]

 

Our First Day at Sea

 

Early Morning Exercise

 

Travel R is an early riser, and being on the cruise is no exception. About 6 AM, Travel R awoke to the sound of a baby crying next door, however, he probably would have awoken about that time anyway (his dog would get him up closer to 5 AM). However, he took his time getting up, getting dressed, and made a small break fast of a pear he had taken back to his room from the Lido buffet the previous day. By 6:40 he was out the cabin door. Having made an oath to himself to walk the stairs has much as possible, he made his way up the ten flights to the deck 11, where the Fitness Center was located.

 

[Note: There were only five Oceanview rooms remainingin the entire ship available when I made my upgrade. All were connecting rooms. I have had a few connecting rooms during my many stays in hotels, and except for one occasion, I had never had a problem. Not that it was a major problem, but the passengers in the connecting room had brought a very young baby onboard, and she did cry several times in the wee hours on a few of the nights. As mentioned, it really did not disturb us, and that is what baby’s do, they cry (if they did not cry, then something would be wrong). The only thing that actually did annoy me a little is that the twice I saw the father outside the room he avoided looking at me (even after the first time when I tried to say hello) – a little nod or a smile would have been nice; I guess he may have been embarrassed by his daughter crying and did not know what to say?]

 

As mentioned in an earlier post, the fitness center was rather large and contained a large number of treadmills, as well as a handful of bikes and elliptical machines. There were large windows providing a glimpse of the front of the ship and the water up ahead and smaller windows towards the side providing only a partial view of the surrounding ocean. The view, however, was marred by the drops of rain which have accumulated since the rain began to fall that prior evening. In training for the mud run (an obstacle run with mud to run through, over, and under), he was going to try to possibly complete a mini-marathon while onboard. After seeing the length of the pool (not long at all) he figured he would just perform the second two legs – a 3.1 mile run and an 11 mile (stationary bike). The running deck was short (1/10th of a mile) and it was raining, so that was out. He thought maybe he would go on a treadmill, then a stationary bike. However, the place was packed, probably due to the rainfall outside. All of the treadmills were taken, but there was one stationary bike available (actually two, but one was broken), so he decided to stay on the bicycle and put in a few extra miles (if he started with the treadmill he may never have gotten an empty bicycle). When said & done, he pedaled 21.5 miles (in an uphill mode) while completing the first twenty miles in just under 64 minutes. [I know, I sound like I am bragging here, but I did knock off a bunch of the extra calories I packed on the previous day.] Although the fitness center looked nice, the air conditioning was not great, and he felt the humidity in the air throughout his exercise. After the ride, he finished up with six sets of 60 sit-ups [Sorry, more bragging.] He then took a quick look at the weight machines and free weights so he knew what to expect when he returned on the morrow.

 

Sea Day Breakfast/Brunch

 

A little tired, and with the sweat of the miles upon his brow, he descended the ten flights of stairs, and entered his cabin a little after 8 am. The DDs were still abed, but DW was already up and about. So he took a quick shower, got dressed, and was rearing to begin the day with a good breakfast. By twenty minutes past eight, they left to find the Gold Pearl restaurant [Deck 3] for a sea day brunch, along with DD10, while DD13 stayed in bed a while longer to go to the buffet at their leisure (to meet her new found friends).

 

One cannot truly appreciate the size of the modern cruise ship until one not only walks the length of the ship from forward to aft, but in addition, when one has to add additional walking to their “commute” because they are unable to easily find a venue aboard the floating city. The layout of the Splendor obstructs passengers from merely walking the entirety for some of its decks, as is the case for the deck [3] housing the Gold Pearl. A walk along Deck 1 and ascending the stairs at the very aft of the ship would have taken Travel R and his DW to their intended destination. However, they made a miscalculation by walking up to Deck 3 first, then traversing the corridor, at who’s end they met with a staircase and no mean to go around to the restaurant. The solution was to go upward another two flights to Deck 5, then descend back to Deck 3, and the entrance to the eatery. After a few minutes they finally arrived to a short line, where the maitre de sorted the guests to their tables. However, upon entering the establishment, they took sight of their SIL, whom waved them over to their table (and the waiter subsequently accommodated them by bringing them to an even larger table).

 

Breakfast, on this first morning of the cruise, was most delightful as to its cuisine, which consisted of (for Travel R):

 

• Bagel with lox – Enjoyable, although the bagels were consistent with the taste and consistency of a Lender’s bagel, than a “real” fresh bagel from Brooklyn, NY.
  
• Eggs Benedict – Very nicely prepared, with a delicious Hollandaise sauce (Travel R found it slightly over-cooked, while his SIL found it too loose (not cooked enough).
  
• Steak & Eggs – This was surprisingly good. A small piece of steak, or even a “Steakumm” type faux meat was expected, but it was a nice piece of steak (maybe 6-7 oz.) that was served upon the plate. Both the steak and eggs (over easy) were cooked well, and even the tomato was well presented on the side.
  
• Coffee, Decaf – As mentioned earlier, the coffee on this ship was not too shabby.
  

 

However it must be added that DW did not enjoy her French toast (she chose the one encrusted with Raisin Bran), so they brought her some actual Raisin Bran cereal, which is not on the menu [if you want cereal, all you have to do is ask]. But nonetheless, this was a very nice start to their first day at sea, travelling northward to New Brunswick.

 

A Quick Rest and Food Demonstration (Pinnacle Steakouse)

 

They had finished with their morning meal at almost a quarter past ten, and went back to the room, which was not yet cleaned, so Travel R too his kindle and walked up to Deck 10 (aft) (DW took DD10 to the kids club & went off with the in-laws), where he laid out on one of the lounges for a half-hour until his buddy (M) radioed him on the walkie-t to meet up at the kid’s club where MJ were dropping off their own pre-teens. They walked around the Lido deck for a few minutes before Travel R and J went to the cooking demonstration in the Pinnacle Steakhouse (with J’s nephew along for the show) [Deck 11 Aft, which was not immediately easy to find]. There was already a long line, and by the time M arrived, there were no more seats available, and he was not let in.

 

The activity was disappointing, although not necessarily a complete waste of their time. One person talked about the dishes, and kind-of discussed how another cook was preparing the foods, but the cooks were behind something that obstructed your view – so you did not get to see the techniques they were using to actually prep and cook the food (so it was no better than having someone reading the instructions). They prepared four different dishes, and provided a sampling of each dish to everyone that attended. However, none of the dishes gave Travel R any real desire to spend the extra $35/pp to have dinner to the Steakhouse. They served a soup (Mushroom Cappuccino), which was not bad; a decent salad (Baby Leave Spinach & Fresh Mushrooms); a chicken entrée (Broiled Supreme of Free Range Chicken), which the trio did not enjoy - the rosemary was overpowering, and was not, in their opinion a good pairing with Mac n’ Cheese; and tiramisu (simply called Tiramisu), which was too creamy - they agreed that they enjoy the traditional desert better. Travel R did bring home the recipes (which they had handed out) to add to his already vast collection of recipes and cookbooks.

 

Camp Carnival & Club O2

 

While this trio were tasting the food, the younger members of their group (including those of the in-laws, ages 6 & 8), had all called the other adults, and had them come take them out of their respective kid’s clubs (it seemed as none of them were enjoying themselves). I cannot speak for any of the other kids, but DD10, who likes to socialize, stated that she did not like the fact that the counselor’s “made them play” the various games (some of which she did not like or found childish), instead of letting her and her friends just hang out. When Travel R, J (and her nephew) bumped into the in-laws who were watching most of the kids, they were frantic because they had “lost” M’s son. According to them, all of the kids were together, they started walking, then turned around and he was gone. So, for the next 15 minutes, the group of them split up and began looking for the lost child. Unbeknownst to the group, the kid saw his father (M), rant to him without telling anyone else, and they went off to another part of the ship. They eventually made contact with the walkie-ts [as mentioned earlier, there are some dead zones on the ship], and the mini-crises was over.

 

[Note: My DD10 absolutely loved the kid’s club on RCI, but chose not to stay in Camp Carnival on this cruise. It may have been because she did not like to have to be forced to play games, but part of it may have also been because he already had ready-made playmates in our group, so did not need to find interactions with other children (although she was there for over an hour prior to them also attending, and had already made a few friends). As this is part of my review, I am not going to say that Camp Carnival is bad or horrible, it just did not fit my daughter this time around. Also, as mentioned, my 6 and 8 year old nieces also did not want to attend the kid’s club for their ages either. Therefore, if/when we go on another family cruise within the next few years (before she would be old enough for the older pre-teen/teen clubs, when choosing between cruise lines, this would be a huge factor).

 

I cannot say anything about the Circle C club, since the 13yo did not attend. They could not bump him down to the 10-12 year old group to be with his friends so decided not to go to the group for his age group.

 

My DD15, on the other hand enjoyed Club 02, as well as the social aspect of it. She and her shipmates took part in the “official” Club 02 activities during the evenings, but it also allowed for a connection to be made so that their group of friends also made plans to hang out with each other during the day, such as go to breakfast & lunch together, as well as other activities in-between. We saw her during the two days at port, and during dinner each night, other than that, she spent most of her time with her new friends, sometimes coming back to the room much after 1 am.]

 

It was a few minutes after one by the time Travel R left this group (DW was at the pool relaxing), and went back to his room. Initially, DW had signed up herself, J, her sister, and mother for a free “Ladies Pamper Party” at the spa. Although none of them had attended the “party,” Travel R decided to continue the tradition of room service and a movie. Room service was ordered and he put on the TV to see what was playing. He had just remembered that movies on their ship began at 12 noon and were replayed beginning every two hours, so the next movie did not begin until 2 pm, over a half hour away. He decided to watch the tail end of the movie “Failure to Launch,” until food came about 25 minutes later [didn’t really enjoy the little of the movie I had seen]. His meal consisted of a BLT, which was not too bad (although not enough meat), and a Rueben. Having worked in a delicatessen, he knows decent cold cuts from bad, and he considered the corned beef used in the sandwich horrible. After he finished eating, he surfed through the few stations playing on the screen, but the late night hours, running around all weekend, and the long work hours the prior week had caught up to him, and he drifted off to sleep.

 

Elegant Night, Formal Attire, and the Type of People on Carnival vs. RCI

 

The DW awoke Travel R at a little after 5 PM, a nice respite prior to awakening to shower and shave prior to getting dressed for formal evening of the cruise known as Elegant Night on Carnival. Travel R did don a nice blue suit (and tie) for the evening, while his DW and DDs looked beautifully radiant in their dresses (not gowns, but nice simple dresses). If one to take a panoramic view of the room and take in the attire of the other passengers, one would see a wide range of styles and tastes, however, everyone seemed to have been dressed “according to code” – and dress casual seemed to be the actual dress code theme for the evening. There were a few suits, but many people wore jackets without ties, or just dress/buttoned shirts without ties.

 

[Note: Here’s my rant about the dress code and formal night. This was the first cruise where formal night – to me – did not feel like formal night. I do not know if it is this ship of that people on Carnival are “more casual.” However, it did not have any special feeling to it for me – it was just another night aboard the ship. For those of you that do not remember formal night, or have never really experienced it (I see most CC signatures beginning after 2000-2002, when things like formal night had already begun to fade), it was just something that was a part of the “cruise experience” which is missing from the more modern cruises. Unfortunately, it is more of a feeling than anything else which really cannot be described in words. If I cruise on Carnival again, I will not be bringing a suit, but instead a button-down and tie (I enjoy wearing ties), to still be within the spirit of the evening, but also be more in-line with the general atmosphere and dress of the other guests.

 

However, I would, at this time, consider wearing a suit if my next cruise is back on RCI. It is not that the people are any different, but that they (the cruise line) does give off a different vibe when it comes to formal wear. Then again, my view may be skewed since my last cruise was full of mostly Europeans who tend to dress up more than Americans (the number of men in the entire MDR without a jacket could be counted on one hand), and the prior cruise was back in 2009, when the American’s watering down of formal night was still in transition (although most people, I remember, were still mostly formal with most men wearing suits and ties). I need to go on another RCI cruise (and soon) to compare and see what people are wearing now.

 

This brings me around to the passengers on Carnival compared to the passengers on RCI. Although I cannot truly compare the Mediterranean cruise with this, if I compare the people I met and saw in 2009 on the Explorer of the Seas to the people I met and saw on the Carnival Splendor [both out of NY/NJ area], I would say that there really was no difference at all. Same “class” of people, same “caliber” of people, or whatever terms are being used to distinguish between RCI and Carnival passengers are being used – there really is no difference (even after reading it on CC, or even hearing it from friends that have cruised). The difference, in my opinion, is in how the ship/brand at Carnival tries to instill a more casual/ less formal feeling into the cruise experience, while RCI tries to give off a more formal vibe. This is my opinion, so don’t quote me as this being fact – or flame me for my opinion.]

 

For dinner, of course they had the usual lobster tails as part of the formal night mainstay, but they did offer a few other items, which Travel R and his tablemates had tried. Since the two male pre-teens did not eat anything the prior night, they ordered steak from the steakhouse, as did M (to go along with his lobster tail). The remainder of the evenings, the boys continued to order the steaks, and M would order the surf and turf. The threesome all enjoyed their premium entrees, although the girls still only picked at their food with the exception of the spring rolls (off the adult every day menu) and DD10 especially enjoyed the mashed potatoes. Although DD15 tried to choose things off of both the adult and the kids menu, she did not find much she enjoyed, and basically obtained her nourishment from the Pizza on the Lido deck (which she ate throughout the day) as well as the strawberry-chocolate swirl ice cream in the self-help ice cream vending machine (DD10 enjoyed the plain chocolate). [We did pack vitamins, which were given to both girls each day.]

 

Going back to M for a moment and the service from the wait staff; each night he would ask for an extra baked potato, mushrooms with the steaks, ketchup, and mustard. One note of interest is that even by the last evening of the cruise that all of these items were not automatically brought to the table – or something as simple as a lemon with the diet coke (which is almost automatic in most restaurants, even greasy spoons, Travel R has frequented over the last few years). Once again, the service was not horrible, but not up to par with what these travelers have come to expect from a wait staff on a cruise.

 

The dinner selections Travel R made for dinner that evening included the following:

 

 

• Appetizer 1: Indian Pumpkin Soup – One of the best tasting appetizer’s throughout the cruise. Although Travel R does not really eat this at home, the Indian and Thai offerings on this cruise were delightful. Is it possible that the kitchen staff is made up of cooks/chefs from that part of the world? The only comment is that it could have been a little spicier for Indian food.
  
• Appetizer 2: Strawberry Bisque – It was not to the liking of Travel R. It was a little too sweet, and he did not taste the mint which it was supposed to be flavored with. This appetizer was originally forgotten by the waiter.
  
• Appetizer 3: Spicy Alligator Fritters – This was the “didja” selection for the evening. Travel R had eaten alligator a few times in the past and prepared in various ways. He did not really enjoy these – they were mostly vegetable/potato fritters in which you cannot really taste the alligator, in addition, they were not spicy at all.
  
• Entrée 1: Broiled Maine Lobster Tail and Jumbo Black Tiger Shrimps – It takes longer to read the name than to finish the small tail and three (non-jumbo) shrimp on the plate. The dish was not bad, although it was not served with a side melted butter, which makes any lobster taste better. Travel R’s daughter ate the mashed potatoes, which she enjoyed.
  
• Entrée 2: Barbequed St. Louis Pork Spare Ribs – This was from the “comfort kitchen,” and was okay, not the best ribs Travel R had ever eaten by far (he did not love the BBQ sauce used), although the ribs were prepared fairly well, and the meat was tender.
  
• Dessert: Banana Diet Cake – This cake, like the diet cake from the night before served its purpose in providing a sugar-free (or no sugar added) alternative, and nothing more.
  

Also note that DW ordered two entrees herself, both of which she did not like, which Travel R also tried: The Seared Fillet of Redfish, which was too dry, and the Tender Roasted Prime Rib of American beef Au Jus, which neither liked the taste, and was not really very tender.

One of the conversations over dinner was that J saw a whale earlier that day – she saw a spout of water, which she did not realize what it was until she saw the back and tail of the whale breach the surface before submerging (although she did not see it again).

 

Comedy Show (PG)

After dinner, DW and Travel R raced back to the cabin to get changed with DD10 (DD15 had already left to get change and meet her friends). DD10 was brought to their friends room, where she would hang out with the other kids, and Travel R and DW made their way to the Comedy Club [Morocco Lounge, Deck 5]. MJ were going to meet them there, but did not make it. The comedy was being performed by Jorge Salano, who they found out has been with Carnival for 26 years, including an 11 year stint as a cruise director. The show was very funny, maybe not rip-roaring, holding your sides so you do not bust, funny, but it was very entertaining (although too short). They decided that they should definitely attend the next adult comedy show when it becomes available (although not for that night).

 

They went back to their cabin, relaxed a little bit watching TV until they picked up DD10, then all proceeded to get some sleep. They woke up at about 1:20 to say hello to DD15 when she entered the room after a night of fun.

 

FunTimes

 

[Note: I wanted to make a quick note about the FunTimes (the schedule of activities). Although it still entertains the fiction that there are many different venues that make up the Lido Buffet, I really liked the fact that the last half page is perforated, and could easily be torn off and carried around in your pocket without having to carry the entire pamphlet.]

 

 

* * * *

Carnival vs. RCI:

Fitness Center = Carnival

MDR Breakfast/Brunch = Even (at this point)

Food Demonstration = Carnival (even though it was not great, I have not seen one on RCI in years)

Kids Camp = RCI (As per DD10’s answer when I asked her)

Teen Camp = Even (This is coming from DD15 herself)

Formal Night = RCI (as of yet)

Self-serve Ice Cream = Carnival

Pizza = Carnival

Kids food in MDR = RCI

Comedy Show = Carnival

Schedule Pamphlets = Carnival

 

* * * *

Edited September 8, 2015 by Travel R

[Travel R]

You are definitely painting a great picture!! I was reading while on a car trip (I was not driving :) ) and when I was done, I looked up and was so disappointed to remember I was not actually on my cruise yet... :)

 

LOL! Thanks!

[Travel R]

Can't wait to read. We enjoyed doing both stops years ago as a quick getaway, and then suddenly it was change to one stop, first Halifax and then St. John (forgive me I forget the correct spelling at the moment) and then lost interest. May have to try this again. Would like to get back to Halifax.

 

I would like to get back up to the area, but more to the great outdoors than the cities.

[Travel R]

Great review!!!!:D:D

Splendor makes me so curious. LOVE reading these reviews!

Keep up the great work.

Feel like I'm on the ship with you and your family:D

 

Thanks - if you have any specific questions, let me know.

[Travel R]

Because I have been so busy, I have not been able to write about the next full day's events, so I have decided to split our third day into two posts, the first being the morning and our time spent in Saint John. I hope to have my review of the later part of the day up tomorrow or Sunday.

Enjoy!

- - - -

 

Our Morning and Time Exploring Saint John, New Brunswick

 

It was another early morning wakeup for the Travel R clan. They were going to explore the city of Saint John, and wanted to get off the ship early to see the “famous” reversing falls at high tide.

 

Lido Breakfast

 

They made their way down to the Lido Buffet for breakfast. They had the basic breakfast selections with a station where they made omelet’s to order. The queue for the omelet stations was lengthy, so they picked and chose from the food items being selected. It was okay, but the basic consensus was that the buffet was not very extensive, or to be more precise, it contained all the basics you would expect, but nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary, although they had a decent selection of non-sugared cereals. At least they were able to find a table very quickly. One interesting note about the buffet is that the bacon was not actually on the buffet itself, you had to ask one of the people behind the counter, whom served it to you from a chafing dish that passengers were not able to reach themselves. Travel R and DW had decided that the MDR breakfast would be preferred to the Lido Buffet when possible, however, the Lido provided a view of the ocean (it is nice to see the ocean while on a cruise ship), which is unavailable in the Black Pearl.

 

Disembarkment was supposed to begin at 8 am, but it was delayed by a few minutes due to an issue with immigration. When you hear the ship’s intercoms continuously asking for named passengers at embarkment and disembarkment, you know that it is either because there is an immigration issue, or when about to leave port, that a passenger did not make it back onboard.

 

[Note: There was a steward sighting, after breakfast, I had to go back to the cabin for something, and on my way out, I looked to the left and one of the stewards (presumably mine) waived at me. If I was not in a rush to go back upstairs, I would have talked to him. I also figured I would see him again later in the day, so I rushed back to join my family.]

 

Getting a Taxi (DIY)

 

They met up with the MJs (the in-laws did the port on their own with the HoHo), and went outside to get a taxi to take them to the reversing falls. They went to the taxi stand, but the drivers were only taking people that wanted to take the tours of Saint Johns. We just wanted to get to the falls. We waited there for a while, until one driver said he would take us (in two trips, since we were 9 ppl). He took the MJs first, and the Travel Rs would be in the second drop off. Just after they left, another person trying to get tours called into a dispatcher and ordered a car, which came in a few minutes and we got in. Note that there are two places to see the falls, one by the zip lines, and one by a restaurant. We stopped by the zip line area first, and did not see them, so we went to the restaurant area [FYI – the restaurant was closed.] and still did not see them. I realized I had the walkie talkies, so I contacted them, and they were at the first stop. At that point I had already paid the driver $9 (plus a $3 tip) [all in US dollars]. He then took us back to the first stop, and would not take any more from us. Besides being a good guy and showing us that awesome Canadian hospitality, it was very nice talking to him and his providing some information in a soft-spoken manner about his town as we rode to the falls, but also in a thick Canadian accent.

 

[Note: Because we were a large crowd with both adults and kids of various ages and interests, we had decided not to take any tours. The group figured we would play it by ear, however, Travel R did do some research on the port and had already mapped out a means of walking back to the port, which was about 1.5 miles away.

 

Also, the driver that, out of the goodness of his heart, would take our group to the falls charged the MJs $20 for their trip, and I am sure he would have tried to give us the business as well. However, besides for that taxi driver, the highlight of Saint John was the people. From the guy at the dock that radio’d in a cab for us (and told us the fare would be about $9-$10), to our really nice Taxi driver, to other people we will meet throughout the day. The port itself was (IMHO) just okay, with a limited number of attractions to see, but the people were fantastic.]

 

Reversing Falls & Walk Back to Town

 

We met up with the MJs, who were watching the water on the river. The reversing falls are not waterfalls, and you need to see the change in the direction over a long while in order to really see any real change. The highlight of seeing the reversing falls for most of the group was actually watching the seals swimming and playing in the water.

 

Once the thrill of watching the aquatic mammals had worn down, the real adventure had begun. With no transportation in sight, the group of adventurers headed down the road with Travel R at their lead. They passed by the old New Brunswick Museum building, which was a place to rest a few minutes, and take some pictures, before moving on. It had rained throughout the late evening, and at some short periods during the morning, but the sky was overcast and thick with dark troubling clouds. It was during this segment of their journey that the skies opened up and dampened the hair and clothing of the adventurers, but not their spirits. Some had packed rain jackets, others ponchos, one with an umbrella, and others just coped with getting wet. The path took a turn along the highway, which the travelers followed along, still in great spirits (although the youngin’s were getting a wee bit tired). When they came to a fork in the road, it brought them past a hint of civilization in the manner of Tim Hortons [they have pretty good Donuts, but they have been in NY for a while, so not our first time – but possibly some of our group’s first time in a Tim Horton’s in Canada]. Although the thought of hot coffee/hot chocolate sounded very inviting to this group of cold and damp tourists, the thought of free Wi-Fi brought broad smiles upon the faces of the youth in the group.

 

Exploring The Town of Saint John

 

The group drank, ate, and relaxed for a little while until they decided to make reconvene their travels. The tourist maps for that part of the city were not great, but after a few twists and turns down several streets, they finally made their way into downtown Saint John. The walked into the City Market [it is the oldest continuing farmer’s market in Canada] for the purpose of getting out of the rain as much as seeing the market itself. The market was large, although not as large as they had thought, but it was all in-doors. There were many people in the market, both tourists and locals, lining the walkways for a bite to eat or to pick up some fresh picked produce to bring back to their homes. The Travel R family purchased a few items to bring back to friends and family, as well as enjoyed some homemade gelato.

 

The travelers met up again and although many were tired, they decided upon going to one more sight. There was a big sign just outside the market about the Jewish Museum of New Brunswick, and although many in our group are not Jewish, they had decided that this would be their last place to visit. Even in the drizzle of the rain, Kings Park (which they walked through) was a nice place to stroll through. One interesting monument which was noteworthy to Travel R was one to a young man of no other distinguishing characteristics of his life, except that died while saving the life of another person from drowning. The monument was fairly large compared to other monuments in this and other cities erected to men and women of great historical importance.

 

They arrived at the Jewish museum and paid a small fee (family rate) – a few moments after they arrived, the in-laws had also entered (they did not plan it). They all took the tour of the museum provided by a teenager. The tour was very interesting and went into the history of the town and its most notable Jewish settlers [there are only about 100 Jewish people living in Saint John today]. The tour guide and the woman at the front were both extremely nice and knowledgeable about the history of the town, and we also received some insight into the current economic state of the town (which has not been very good).

 

After the museum we split once again with the in-laws and began walking back to the port. On the way we passed by the Imperial Theater, which was a big old theater from when this city had a thriving cinematic presence [related movie facts – Louis B Mayer, one of the M’s in MGM was raised in St John, and Donald Sutherland was born there]. They would have taken the tour of the building, but tours had just closed for lunch, and it would not reopen for another two hours, so they resumed their quest to return to the ship.

 

In each different country the Travel R family visits, they have a tradition of trying out the pizza in each country. On the way they saw a local establishment that seemed interesting. [I believe the pizzeria was named Julius Pizza??] This wound up being a very nice stop, not only for the pizza, which was okay, but for the conversation with the man and woman working behind the counter. They cooked us up a fresh pie (the kids all wanted plain cheese, which they did not have available). While we waited, M and Travel R (who has an incredible way of striking up a conversation with anyone) talked to the people working in the store. It was a very pleasant conversation, and they learned a great deal about the city, as well as gain an insight into some of the local population. After this stop, it was back to the port with a short stop at the tourist trap, I mean souvenir shops, on the pier, and then back onto the awaiting Splendor.

 

[Note: If you were wondering which country has the best pizza in the world, in the opinion of my daughters, the answer would be “Brooklyn” (yes, they know Brooklyn is not a country). If you ask my DD10, she would even go further, and specifically mention to L&B Spumoni Garden as having the best pizza within Brooklyn.]

 

* * * *

Carnival vs. RCI:

Breakfast Buffet = Even [although DW prefers RCI]

Boarding/Leaving Ship at port = Even

 

* * * *

 

 

 

Coming Up . . . Our Third Evening aboard the Splendor, back to the MDR, Fitness Center, Late night deli with my buddy, will Travel R finally get to meet the room steward?

Edited September 11, 2015 by Travel R

[NYCGAL529]

Hi Travel R,

We have definitely learned a lot from your reviews and you have already answer most questions that we had. DH is wondering about TV, especially watching the baseball playoffs as our trip is early Oct. Were there any baseball games televised that you know of?

Thanks and can't wait to read more. If you are ever on the Explorer again, definitely check out The Quest. I think you would like it!

[declansdad]

You couldn't get a cheese pizza because we don't have boring pizza in Canada. ;)

[retiring soon]

HI all!

 

Travel R ~ enjoying reading about your Carnival cruise & seeing the remarks vs RCL. Love your style of writing so will look into your other reviews when I get something done around the house!!;)

 

I just started sailing Carnival after 22 cruises on various lines & really like the fun vibe of their ships (Dream & Breeze so not too gaudy!).

 

Looking forward to seeing what you did in Halifax.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[mdhaugh]

Hi, Largolady22 - - just off the Splendor yesterday, and indeed they do have full hair services/salon as part of the spa. Enjoy your cruise!

[silvercrikhix]

We are enjoying your very thorough review of your Splendor cruise :)

[Travel R]

Hi Travel R,

We have definitely learned a lot from your reviews and you have already answer most questions that we had. DH is wondering about TV, especially watching the baseball playoffs as our trip is early Oct. Were there any baseball games televised that you know of?

Thanks and can't wait to read more. If you are ever on the Explorer again, definitely check out The Quest. I think you would like it!

 

I did not see any sports playing on the TV (except for coverage on the news), but there is a sports bar onboard (which I did not visit this cruise). Although I am a sports fan (and not ashamed to say I am a Mets fan this year), I did not really think about baseball during this cruise. However, if I was on the ship come October, I would definitely be paying more attention. With the Mets in the playoffs (I am pretty confident), and this being a ship leaving from the tri-state area, they may have some coverage - but that is all speculation.

[Travel R]

you couldn't get a cheese pizza because we don't have boring pizza in canada. ;)

 

lol!

[NYCGAL529]

Thanks Travel R. DH is a huge Mets fan. We will be sure to check out the sports bar during the playoffs. I'm sure we won't be alone! ;)

[Travel R]

HI all!

 

Travel R ~ enjoying reading about your Carnival cruise & seeing the remarks vs RCL. Love your style of writing so will look into your other reviews when I get something done around the house!!;)

 

I just started sailing Carnival after 22 cruises on various lines & really like the fun vibe of their ships (Dream & Breeze so not too gaudy!).

 

Looking forward to seeing what you did in Halifax.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

 

Thanks - writing in the third person does make it a little more difficult, but it forces me to describe/analyze the various things we did and experience from a more critical eye - so instead of saying something is horrible or something is great, I need to state the reason why, as well as the surrounding circumstances. I think it also make the review read more like a story than a diary.

 

As stated, except for the dining rooms, I personally liked the way the Splendor was decorated, whereas that has been a criticism of others former passengers.

 

There are many different people that cruise, and each have their own likes and dislikes. Luckily, there are many choices available not only between cruise lines, but many times between ships. Although I am comparing RCI vs. Carnival, it should be kept in mind that, in actuality, I am comparing the Carnival Splendor vs. my last two cruise ships RCI Legend and Explorer. I believe I could sail on another Carnival ship next week and have a competently different experience. [Carnival had unknowingly been brought into the competition against a great last cruise on RCI (exceptional room steward and assistant waiter (and a very good head waiter), not to mention the beautiful ports we visited).]

 

At the end of the day, when we look back, we can say we had a great time. Was everything perfect? No, but that did not hinder us from enjoying ourselves. I have read many cruise reviews over the years (regarding this and other ships), I am saddened by the fact that some passenger's entire vacations are ruined because of a few (or sometimes one) things do not meet their expectations. For instance, dinners were very long (over two hours), but on the other hand, we were sitting and enjoying the time with some great friends. I was overjoyed by the size and equipment in their fitness center, most other cruisers could not have cared less if they even had one on the ship - but to each his or her own.

 

All things considered, even if we had terrible table mates, a meal in any cruise MDR still beats coming home and cooking up something quick or eating leftovers after a long day at work, where we would have to serve ourselves as well as do the clean up and wash dishes ourselves.

 

All reviews, even my own, should always be taken with a grain of salt. Until someone experiences something for themselves, they cannot really ever gain a real insight into how they would like any experience.

 

Okay, I have spent to much time on my answer, let me get back to finishing up my review.

[Travel R]

Back on Board – Third Evening on the Splendor

 

 

Upon arriving at the ship after their day exploring the port of Saint John, they quickly made their way to their staterooms, and being a little hungry after their long journey (even after the stop at Tim Hortons and the pizzeria), they made their way to the Lido deck buffet, which was still serving food [it closed at 3:30 on port days].

 

A Light in the Lido – Tandoor

 

 

It was on this day that Travel R discovered the Tandoor grill. He had seen it the day before, but the line seemed too long to wait. Although there was still a line on that afternoon, probably due to the late hour, it was fairly short. He chose a small portion of each dish offered (and a double portion of naan), and made his way to meet his family. They sat upstairs next to the Rotisserie [Deck 10], which provided ample available seating. Travel R does not eat much in the way of Indian cuisine, but he found that the dishes offered at Tandoor were extremely tasty, and seemed to be a notch above the other offerings on the buffet in general. This became the main source of Travel R’s buffet sustenance during his remaining trips back to the Lido during lunch. He also tried the chicken at Rotisserie, which were okay (BBQ sauce was too “store like”), and the corn bread looked good, but were too dry. The rest of the family had their own samplings from the rest of the buffet, and nothing stood out, although DD15 did like the mac and cheese from Rotisserie.

 

The children went their own merry way, while the adults went for a quick cup of coffee (or other hot drinks) from the coffee bar. The foursome sat and talked for awhile before going back to the cabin to relax before meeting up again for dinner. Travel R took a little nap while DW decided to sit by the pool and read. After forty winks (probably closer to 20 winks), Travel R was awoken, took a shower, got dressed, and made his way with his family to dinner.

 

Another MDR Dinner

 

Dinner took what has become the customary two hours, and although their table was the first one to have all of their passengers sit, they were still the last ones to be served their entrées. The waiter forgot the mushrooms (and either the ketchup or mustard) for MJ’s order, and completely forgot Travel R’s soup, and took a while to bring the kid’s orders.

 

[Note: Don’t get me wrong, after having to rush through most meals all year long, it is nice to sit down to a nice relaxing meal. However, with a teen and a four pre-teens at the table, two hour dinners every night is not very relaxing to them. Also, when the show for early sitting begins at 8:15, when dessert is served at 7:50, it does not leave much time to eat and get to the show. Although I was not thrilled with going to any show, that night’s show was the “Fiesta Latina,” and would have considered it if there was ample time to finish dinner, possibly change, and go to the Splendor and not have to sit on the top row behind one of the columns. I know I sound like I am whining, but I believe the service could have been more in-synch with my table and the ship. My DD15 left the table before dessert to go back to the cabin to change and meet her friends, and actually saw that show). I do not want to characteristically blame this as a “Carnival thing,” since it is my only experience with this cruise line – however, compared to my four on RCI and one on MCL, this was a huge notch below. However, when it comes down to it, it was a nice meal with good friends, which is why we were there.]

 

This brings us to the meal itself. For dinner on this evening, Travel R had the following dishes:

 

 

• Appetizer 1: A Study in Sushi – Although they served it as sashimi and not sushi (the fish was not attached and served over rice), it was okay, but a very, very small portion. The fish tasted fresh and the sauce was tangy, but tasty. Interestingly enough, it was the “didja” selection, which would have been appropriately classified in 1985, not 2015.
  
• Appetizer 2: Chilled Cucumber Soup with Dill – Travel R did not care for this very much. The dill was too prevalent and overpowered the cucumber, which had a strange consistency and should have been puréed a little longer. [The waiter had forgotten to bring the soup, but it would have been okay if Travel R skipped this dish.]
  
• Appetizer 3: Fresh Fruit Cocktail – This was pretty good, and offered on the every day menu. Travel R just felt like having some fruit, so he ordered a third appy for this evening.
  
• Entrée 1: Penne Mariscos – This was okay. You can taste that the fish being used was not fresh (probably frozen), especially when compared to the fresh sashimi eaten during the prior hour. The pasta was al dente, but not great, so Travel R did not eat much to keep down the carb intake for that meal.
  
• Entrée 2: Braised Style Short Ribs from Aged Premium American Beef – A long title, but that’s the way they printed it in the menu. Travel R was expecting more, and although the ribs were nicely cooked and fairly tender, he did not enjoy the seasoning very much. The accompanying rice was incredibly salty, and not very delectable.
  
• Dessert: Diet Lemon Cake: Another sugar free/no sugar added desert for Travel R. It added some sweetness to end of the meal and to have something with the coffee. Once again, nothing to write home about.
  

 

Back to the Fitness Center & Sitting with a Friend

 

Travel R’s mud run was three days away, and he wanted to get a last upper body workout done before going. He walked the ten flights up to the Fitness Center on Deck 11, and was able to put in a good workout making use of the free weights and the various machines (since he did not want to strain any muscles, he did keep his workload fairly moderate). The gym contained a full range of weighted dumbbells, and also has a separate machine to work out each of the major muscles. At the time he went (approx. 8:30-8:45), the fitness center was not very crowded, and Travel R only had to wait to use one of the machines.

 

After his workout, Travel R walked back down to his cabin, got dressed into his bathing suit (his family had gone there during his exercising), but they were out of the pool by the time he had arrived. He met up with M about 10 o’clock, and they decided to get themselves a little bit of a snack at the deli. Having been turned off by the corned beef the previous day, he ordered the faux bagel and log, and shared a half a tuna salad with M. It was nice sitting in the Lido area just BS’ing with a good friend – whom Travel R also considers his brother. When the snack was finished, they went down to the casino, and had fun watching other people lose money. M’s son radioed him a little before 11, and we both retired to our cabins for the evening. By the time Travel R got back to his cabin, DD10 and DW were asleep. DD15 did not come back to the room until 1:40 AM (she did come back for a few minutes earlier to ask if she could stay out after 1, but Travel R did not awaken when DW gave her permission).

 

[Note: This was the last night we had received a towel animal in our room, and besides the aforementioned quick wave to a room steward (presumably ours) down the hallway the day before, the only way they knew that there was a room steward was that the room was cleaned once a day, the towels were replaced twice a day, and we received a new Fun Times. I have read many CC members post that they do not care about getting towel animals, but my DD10 really enjoyed seeing the towel animals each night, and the smile on her face (to me and my DW) is priceless – and we actually enjoy seeing them as well. The top bunk was always left out/down – it would have been nice to have had it away during the day since my DD15 was rarely in the room, especially on the second Sea Day, when we did come back to the room on occasion. And we still have not found out his name.]

 

* * * *

 

Carnival vs. RCI:

All of these have been rated in prior posts:

Lunch Buffet = Carnival

Dinner MDR food = RCI

Dinner MDR service = RCI

Fitness center = Carnival

 

* * * *

 

Coming up next: Our visit to Halifax, enjoying anther evening on the Splendor

Edited September 17, 2015 by Travel R

[LeeloLovesStitch]

Whenever I get to the end of one of your posts, I get so excited to read the next one... and then I have to wait!!! Not a complaint - this is good - much like your leisurely meal at the MDR. It's nice that I have something to look forward to :)

[Travel R]

Whenever I get to the end of one of your posts, I get so excited to read the next one... and then I have to wait!!! Not a complaint - this is good - much like your leisurely meal at the MDR. It's nice that I have something to look forward to :)

 

Sorry!!!

 

This is going much slower than expected.

 

I continue to be busy with work during the week and family in the evening and weekends. This weekend was exceptional beautiful (after that fog lifted early Saturday morning), and spent most of it outdoors and offline.

 

I hope to have the next segment posted tomorrow.

[grandmacani]

I hope you have time. We're leaving Saturday on the splendor and look forward to your Halifax comments.

[Travel R]

Touring Halifax

 

The sun was already up when Travel R made his way out of bed, however at a quarter of seven Travel R was shining brighter than the sun. However, the gloomy morning did not place a damper on the day’s activities. Travel R and his lovely DW took showers, got dressed and made their way to the Golden Pearl for breakfast, while the DDs took a later option of breakfast with the in-laws in the buffet.

 

Another Breakfast/Brunch in the MDR

 

When they arrived there was a little line to enter the venue, which did not move very quickly. When the couple arrived at the dining room (walking to the end of Deck one and up the last set of stairs) they were asked for our stateroom number. Why they were asked for their cabin number, they were unsure [Was this to make sure we do not go to the MDR twice for breakfast, or is this a way of dividing the tips to various servers? It would have cut down on the time waiting in line if they did not ask, then looking it up and entering it into the computer.], but when asked if they would be okay with sharing a table, they emphatically stated yes.

 

[Note: One of the joys of cruises (and vacations) is having the opportunity to meet different people, especially people that live in different places around the world. During most of our cruises we (when it was only myself and my DW) have sat at larger tables with many strangers that had become our friends. Some experiences with tablemates are better than others but we have always found them enjoyable.]

 

Their table mates included three women from their home state of New Jersey, two ladies from across the pond (London, to be precise), and a husband and wife from Texas. Although the chatter was slow to proceed, the conversation became more enlivened as the meal progressed. It was pleasant company, and always nice to talk to others also sharing the cruise experience. Although the breakfast was not bad, the food being consumed did not compare with what he had been served during his prior MDR breakfast/brunch experience. Breakfast included:

 

• Grits – okay, instant (or the 5-minutes grits), and tasted like it.
  
• Bagel with lox – The lox was pretty good, but the bagels, as mentioned before, just does not compare to a “real” NY bagel.
  
• Eggs Benedict – Way, way too much pepper and the ham was very salty, although cooked well.
  

Of course, Travel R ate it all anyway. Since the company and coffee were pleasant, he did not mind. Yes, he could have asked for something else, but they were going to head out to port that morning, and did not want to take any more time than needed. The waiter service was not bad for that breakfast (only noted, because it was evident that this waiter/assistant waiter was better trained than our regular evening wait staff).

 

Halifax

 

The Travel R and MJ parties came together at 10 am. [A bit of a late start, but okay for the port and the people we were traveling with.] They disembarked the ship, walked through the tourist trap market, and made their way to boardwalk located directly outside the pier. The city of Halifax is a lot more built up and less economically depressed (at least in that area of town) than Saint John, as can be seen as soon as they walked into out the door. They made a left once on the boardwalk towards the attractions they were interested in seeing that day. They walked for a little while looking at the other cruise ships and some of the monuments along the way until they came to the Maritime Museum. The museum was very interesting and included a lot of various artifacts relating to seafaring, including artifacts from the Titanic. [Although isn’t it ominous looking and learning about the Titanic while on a cruise yourself?] The kids seemed to enjoy the museum, but after 20-25 minutes they began to become bored (except for the museum store).

 

The next step was the Citadel. Since it was placed on top of the highest point in Halifax, the group of young and “old” alike had to make a half mile trek uphill. The streets became more and more inclined as they approached the Citadel, then up a number of steps to an uphill path which ended at the welcome/ticket booth. The price was fairly minimal, and the group entered the fortress. A tour of the fort was luckily beginning only a few minutes after they arrived. They walked over to the staging area while looking at some of the workers/volunteers, who were dressed in period-era militia uniforms. The tour guide, dressed in a vintage Scottish Army uniform, took the group throughout the fort showing various areas such as where they slept, could defend the premises, and where they stored the gun powder. There was also a musket demonstration, which the kids enjoyed. After the tour, they took their own walk around the fort, including on top of the walls [no, nothing like “The Wall” on GOT]. By that time most of the group was hungry and tired, so they decided to make our way back to the ship.

 

Lunch

 

They went right to the Lido after choosing their foods (the meal was eaten by the Rotisserie). Travel R went right to Tandoor (the food was excellent once again), but also took a quick stop at the area with the French food to see what was there and took a few items [nothing really exceptional – salty or not flavorful].

 

[Note: One thing I noticed a few times during the cruise is that the floor of the Lido buffet was slippery at times. I did not see anyone fall during my time there (maybe because I tried to eat upstairs). Nothing big, but I did find it important enough to add to my notes, so just transcribing it here.]

 

After eating lunch, Travel R made his way back to the room with his family. Everyone left to go their own separate ways, and he tried to watch the back of his eyelids for a while. He did sleep for a little bit, but a wrong number interrupted the nap. He was unable to go back to sleep, so watched some TV until it became time to take a shower and get dressed for dinner.

 

Everyone came back to the room and made their way for their usual 6 PM early sitting for dinner.

 

[Note: Just as an FYI. For non-elegant nights I wore slacks and a polo shirt with shoes for dinner. What everyone else was wearing (except for my immediate family), did not really notice, or care. ]

 

Besides the excellent company of their friends, the dinner was once again not extremely noteworthy except for the soup. The list of dishes Travel R ate is as follows:

 

 

• Appetizer #1: Smoked Duck – Surprisingly good, although too small of a portion. Just a quick comparison with RCI, although Trave,R loves duck, he tried three different duck dishes on my last cruise and disliked them all – so this was a nice surprise.
  
• Appetizer #2: Tom Ka Gui – This was an excellent Thai soup (although it could have been a little spicier). Once again, the Indian/Thai culinary fare aboard this ship was excellent.
  
• Appetizer #3: Shrimp with Redfish – Can’t comment on this since he received the Fried Shrimp instead. The fried shrimp was just that – deep fried, but not really very good.
  
• Entrée #1: Assorted Seafood, Newburg Style – Another dish made with frozen fish, which retained too much of a “fishy” taste.
  
• Entrée #2: Grilled Marinated Pork Tenderloin – This looked really good when he read it on the menu. It was good, but not excellent. The meat was a little bit tough, but still tasty enough to clean the plate.
  
• Dessert: Diet Coconut Cake – Better than the other “diet” cakes on the previous days, but not great. However, it gave me something sweet to have with my coffee. [Where is the diet chocolate cake?]
  

 

[Note: My the DDs wanted to make sure it is in the review that they were not happy with the food in the MDR with the exception of the Spring Roll and the Mashed Potatoes. The two preteen boys at our table were satisfied with their steaks, but there was a $20 up-charge per steak, per meal for a meal that is already being paid for. And as mentioned in a prior post, my DD15 “survived” on the pizza from the Pizza station and the chocolate/strawberry swirl ice cream (at 5’9” and skinny as a string bean, you would never think she even eats).]

 

Evening Activities and an Epic Battle

 

Travel R went to the big showroom with his DW to watch Family Feud. The show was cute for the first 5-10 minutes, but then it became a little bit boring. We then watched Gender Wars, which was also funny for the first 5-10 minutes before it got “old.” Luckily, he was asked to get the kids while my DW got bingo cards. Once the kids were gathered and brought to the room, he went on his way.

 

Travel R was unsure what he wanted to but decided that this may be his only opportunity to relax at the jazz lounge and listen to some music. He walked to the area of the lounge, but decided to go to the Lido first to get something to eat before chilling out. he got a little something to eat while watching the end of one of the Hunger Games movies [Yes, I did read the books – the first one was enjoyable, and thought it was a lot better than the movie.] As he was leaving the area he spotted his SIL and his nieces on lounges waiting for the next movie, The Hobbit: A Battle of Five Armies, to being [As a long-time fan of Tolkien, I was disappointed in this trilogy on the big screen. However, seeing it again, and not comparing it to the book, it was not as bad as a stand-alone movie.] He went to throw out his food, and when he returned, his DW and DD10 were also lying next to them. DD10 was on the SIL, one niece on the DW, which left one cutie not lying on anyone – so Travel R, in good conscience, could not leave her there alone. She happily got up so he could lie down, and sat down upon him. Besides her smacking her head continuously into his stomach, it was very enjoyable to watch the movie (and there was free popcorn) while spending time with family.

 

Once the movie was over, they went back to our rooms to go to sleep. Since Travel R was so deep in slumber when his DD15 crept into the room (probably around 1 am), that he did not even stir.

 

* * * *

Carnival vs. RCI:

Breakfast in MDR = RCI

People on Cruise = Even

Excursions = Data N/A (we DIY on this cruise)

Disembarking at ports = Even

Boarding after ports = Even

Outside movies = Carnival

 

* * * *

 

Coming up next: Our last day at sea, a sight out the window, our last MDR breakfast and dinner, fun on the Splendor, and a comedy show.

[Travel R]

I hope you have time. We're leaving Saturday on the splendor and look forward to your Halifax comments.

 

 

Finally got my review of our day in Halifax posted. Hope it helps.

 

I hope you enjoy your vacation!

[Travel R]

Either everyone agrees with my opinions, or not many Carnival Cheerleaders are reading this review. I think I have been pretty honest and as unbiased as possible in writing the review so far. I have provided my opinions regarding what I liked and disliked about Carnival and the Splendor.

 

Although I have not slammed Carnival, I would have expected a few people to "defend" their cruise line or the ship when I mention the things/services I did not find acceptable, or when I ranked RCI above Carnival in particular categories.

[LeeloLovesStitch]

Either everyone agrees with my opinions, or not many Carnival Cheerleaders are reading this review. I think I have been pretty honest and as unbiased as possible in writing the review so far. I have provided my opinions regarding what I liked and disliked about Carnival and the Splendor.

 

Although I have not slammed Carnival, I would have expected a few people to "defend" their cruise line or the ship when I mention the things/services I did not find acceptable, or when I ranked RCI above Carnival in particular categories.

 

Uh oh... I feel like you're asking for it on this one!!!

 

Maybe since you've been about as objective as you can (a lot of comparison in general comes down to personal preference) and you are so calm and rational in how you state things, people are learning from example!!!

[Travel R]

Uh oh... I feel like you're asking for it on this one!!!

 

Maybe since you've been about as objective as you can (a lot of comparison in general comes down to personal preference) and you are so calm and rational in how you state things, people are learning from example!!!

 

I guess I am looking for some banter - or possibly someone providing some information about hidden gems about the ship or ports that I did not see or know about.

 

On the other hand, as you stated, maybe it is because I have tried to be objective, that this thread does not lend itself to be one of interest to those waiting to pass out the popcorn and waiting for a verbal duel. Even in the title to this thread, I was a bit careful in my wording. I knew that if I titled this as "RCI cruiser's first Carnival Cruise" or worst yet "RCI cruiser goes on 1st Carnival Cruise, and will never go back," I would be asking for an argument even before I wrote my first word.

 

Hopefully my review does help someone in their future cruising travels, or at least provides some enjoyment in reading it. However, as I have found with the last review I had written, it provides me with my own personal agenda of inscribing the details of my vacation so that I may go back and enjoy it in years to come. Before I had gone on this last cruise, when I began to do some research on here I found my old thread and had a great time just reading through it and re-living (in my mind) the great times we had on that vacation - and hopefully when i come back to this thread in two or three years, I will have deja vu all over again [RIP Yogi] in re-reading both of these reviews.

[FamilyCruiseDiva]

Enjoying reading your review, as I am thinking of booking the Splendor for my little family. Like you, it would be our first time with Carnival and have heard the same negative comments.

 

 

Thank you for all the detail you put into each and every post!

 

:-)

Edited September 27, 2015 by FamilyCruiseDiva

[Jamman54]

Enjoying your review very much, since we have done this same cruise many times, though not on the Splendor. Your narrative is excellent, and your attention to detail is superb! Carry on!! :)